


Regaining Herself - 4

by SrebrnaFH



Series: Regaining Herself - series [2]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Everyone obeys Moira, F/M, M/M, Major Illness, Missing Scenes, Morning Kisses, Morning Routines, Multi, Polyamory, Smut, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-02-23 17:38:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13195194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SrebrnaFH/pseuds/SrebrnaFH
Summary: Some scenes that didn't fit into the basic Regaining Herself story - mostly after the story itself, showing how the life went on in the School.I will add the pairings as the chapters get posted, so what you see in the tags is exactly what you will find inside.





	1. Raven & Hank

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank and Raven - as said in the main story, Raven does think "doctor McCoy" is cute, too. She just needs to be in the right mood for him ;)

He was learning to use the furry hands properly. The claws were a nuisance, but on the other hand, his reflexes were so much better in that form. He made much more instinctive leaps in his innovations - ones that could later be proved by hard facts - experiments and calculations - but he knew, deep down, that in his human form he wouldn't have been able to make them.

Still, sometimes, just to feel a little bit more stable, he allowed himself a shot. That Saturday was promising to be a lazy one, so he lay in bed until late morning, slowly falling asleep again, feeling the warm sheets on his skin and a trickle of fresh air from the window he had kept open, because the furry him was usually overheated during the night.

He turned on his back, hands behind his head, and watched the ceiling - the map of wood grain, the interplay of light on various shades of mosaic pieces - feeling himself fall slowly down and back, as if sinking into the mattress.

At first he didn't know what woke him, but soon he identified the presence of another person in his bed. For a moment he struggled, patting around for his glasses, but as he was putting them on, his brain registered the subtle combination of smells that told him who it was anyway.

"Raven?"

He felt... hair?

Blinking his eyes open, he finally saw her, in her most basic blond humanform, clad only in a t-shirt.

"Raven, what are you doing here?"

She was already astride him - he noticed she was wearing a pair of really tiny shorts - when she finally sat up and smiled at him innocently. He could now see that the shorts were actually pink.

"Ah, doctor McCoy" she said in the slightly girlish voice she sometimes used in that form. "I think I may be failing my grade and I wanted to ask..." she trailed off, biting her index finger.

He tried to shake the cobwebs from his brain.

"What are you talking about, Raven?"

"That last assignment was soooo tough" she said with a pout. "And I wanted to check with you if there is no other way for me to earn a grade in your... class."

His brain finally started up again, despite certain amount of blood being already concentrated in another part of his body.

"Ah" he smiled semi-nervously but decided to play along. "So, you wanted to see me about your grades, young lady? Why didn't you just come to see me during my office hours?"

She wiggled the shapely butt of that form.

"I wanted to" she said breathily. "But, you see" she trailed a finger down his chest. "I thought I would have to be really nice to you if I want my grade to be corrected, and I don't think your office was made for what I was planning."

"But the office was designed with the needs of both students and the faculty in mind" he gasped as she rolled her hips. "So you could have _come_ anytime. I could have checked your assignment again and, ah, quizzed you on the topic."

"Well" she licked and bit her lower lip. "I thought if I get you alone and in a nice, quiet place like this, I could maybe convince you to let that one slide" she herself slid a little lower and now the seam of her shorts was pressed directly to the front of his own. "I think the material was a bit too _hard"_ here she rolled her hips, just a bit "and I'd probably need some personal tutoring, for an uncertain _length_ of time."

"Raven!" his hands shot up and held her hips to still her movements. "My dear, lovely girl" he said slowly "I'm not sure you know what you are doing! This is not the way you should be earning your grades!"

She leaned forward and hovered over his face, propped on both hands, her hair falling like a golden curtain, blocking their faces from the rest of the room.

"Why?" she asked with an innocent inflexion. "It feels nice, doctor McCoy" she flexed her thighs just a bit, squeezing them around his hips. He knew very well she could strangle a grown man with them, but it didn't change the simple fact that the movement had left him with even less blood in his brain than before. "I thought I could make it feel nice for you, too."

She plucked the glasses off his nose, placed them carefully on his nightstand and then lowered herself to press a small kiss to his half-open lips.

"Now, does _this_ feel nice, doctor McCoy?" she whispered, her lips still on his. "Or would you rather have me do something else for my assignment?"

"N-no" he stammered, his hands still resting on her hips as she straightened. "I mean, this _is_ very nice, but this is not the right... what are you doing, Raven?"

She paused in the middle of taking off her t-shirt, baring her perfectly-shaped, perfectly-sized pink-tipped breasts.

"I'm undressing. This shirt would get in the way" she threw it into the corner of the room.

"But Raven! You are a student!" he was still playing along, but slowly he was _really_ starting to panic. Blue form was one thing, she was always naked, but they got used to that - including some very nice cuddling on chosen, quiet evenings. Suddenly she was there, in her humanform, her hair loose on her back, and that suggested a lot he had never actually considered too closely. "I really shouldn't...!"

She stood up, made a short work of her shorts and was again astride of him in a matter of seconds, before he even managed to move

"Now, doctor McCoy" she pressed herself to him so tightly he felt every nerve in his body awash in sensation. "Let's start working on _raising_... my grade."

His hands had somehow found themselves placed on her back - one lower, just below her waist, one at the back of her neck. He started caressing the appointed places immediately, almost automatically, the lower hand dipping even lower, finally resting on the firm, round cheek and squeezing it slightly.

"...aven..." he gasped as she rose and reached between their bodies to push his pyjama shorts down, the movement making his hand slip closer to her hot, wet centre.

She fluttered her eyelashes and moved a bit further up, catching his lips again, her tongue slowly working itself deeper, to tangle with his.

"Doctor McCoy" she whispered, pulling away. "How are my grades doing?"

He restrained himself from growling, with effort, but still, a small sound escaped. She rose slightly and reached down, catching his straining hardness with her soft, narrow fingers.

"It seems like my grades are doing purrrrfectly well" she stayed over him, supporting herself on one hand, for a moment and then lowered herself, sheathing him in her wetness in one stroke, at the same time swallowing his moan with a kiss. "Bad, bad doctor McCoy, keeping _this_ to himself" she bit slightly into his ear and felt him expand inside her even more. "Why..."

With his one hand on her neck and another on her tail bone, he managed to roll them, finding himself on top of her, pressing her into the soft mattress.

"Now, Miss Raven" he panted, his lips bare millimetres from hers. "I hope you are prepared to earn your grade. I will quiz you... _thoroughly_."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...my first real attempt at a bit of smut. Tell me if it sounds realistic enough ;)


	2. Erik & Charles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Saturday lazy morning in the mansion, all routine, with tea, injections and everyone obeying Moira.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea how OOC this comes out at this point, but I hope, in the context of RH, close enough to be readable :) Yes, you have to read RH to understand the context, I'm afraid.

The kitchen was empty at that time in the morning. The children had already eaten and were gone - the day being Saturday, there were no lessons and no trainings to attend, except for the senior class and their session with Raven.

Charles leaned on the counter next to the quietly humming fridge and watched the pot of tea he had just freshly filled with hot water. Glass sides of the pot allowed him to observe how the golden particles dissolved, slowly swirling away from the handful of tea leaves at the bottom. He celebrated his returned ability to walk by cooking basic stuff - and making tea - for Moira, just to make sure that every day he experienced something that he couldn't do before. Be it brewing a tea, changing a light bulb or making the bed - at least one daily. And on weekends, it was specifically tea, because, on weekends, Moira chose to stay in bed for an additional hour - or two, depending on everyone's schedule - and read quietly. They left her to it, not only, but mainly due to their awareness that it may be the only time during the week she would get to herself, being otherwise in high demand the moment she stepped outside their rooms. It also let them take care of her, which all three of them were still getting used to.

The door opened and shut with nary a sound. He didn't even have to actually check and his hand was already switching the big, gleaming black coffee machine on.

Erik wasn't exactly a civilised human being before his first coffee. Or a civilised mutant.

The slight wave of _gratitude_ made him chuckle, but the next thing he felt was a very definitely physical sensation of a pair of hands around his waist and a slightly stubby cheek on the nape of his neck. He hummed slightly, leaning into Erik's unexpected embrace and the taller man pressed his lips to Charles' temple.

"Good morning, Erik" he said, turning slightly to look at him. "What..."

It seemed he was suffering from a permanent telepathic blind spot regarding Erik and kissing, because the next thing he knew, his lips were claimed by Erik's and he was getting pleasantly distracted from the chill of the stone floor, the breakfast he had only vaguely been planning to prepare or from the expected day of helping Moira with her memories. The other option was, of course, that Erik never actually thought about it, but just kissed.

"God, guys, not before I've had at least one coffee" Alex grumbled, reaching into the cupboard above them for a mug. He shuddered, holding the cool ceramic to his forehead. "Charles, did you put any coffee in this, or did you just switch it on it and then got sidetracked?"

"Um."

"I thought so" Alex shuddered again, moved them aside and started to fill in the machine with ground coffee from the airtight box next to it. "Erik, big mug or small?"

"Big" Erik managed to say finally.

"OK, I'll just make the whole pot, you can take half of it" Alex yawned and rubbed his eyes, watching the machine slowly rumble to life. Once it started the process, he just made sure the coffee pot was placed in the right spot and then sank onto a chair.

"Alex?" Charles ventured cautiously.

"What?" the younger man looked up at them, squinting. "Oh. Sorry. It's not you specifically, it's simply _everyone_. First, it's my brother and Jean making sweet eyes at each other in the room next to mine - and they always forget to close the door, too - then Marcia and Kurt being _disgustingly_ adorable in the front hall and now you two, here. And I still haven't had my coffee yet, so" he shrugged. "It's a bit hard, you know."

"Um. Not really?" Charles frowned.

"Come on! You all have" Alex made a vague gesture. "Life. Private life. Probably even sex life, but I refuse to think of my little brother in that category. Me? I'm like a monk. Worse, a vampire monk - can't leave the house before it's properly dark outside. And I'm not blaming any of you" he sighed and leaned a bit back. "But it's fucking hard to live around all that... love in the air and not wish for a little bit for myself."

"You can go outside, meet people, you know. With your advanced training, there is no risk of something weird happening... You have it under control now, so there is a small chance of hitting anyone by accident, or frying something."

"Of course, that only works indoors" Alex's voice was rather bitter. "Once I'm fully loaded, even the smallest thing can trigger the blast. So, as long as I find a girl who is into people who can't stand daylight, yes, I could try to date one. Which means I can recruit only from the late disco goers and goths."

The coffee machine burbled something offensive, spitting the last of the coffee into the pot. Erik fetched himself a mug from the cupboard and poured for both of them, while Charles prepared his own tea and a tiny breakfast for Moira, covering the pot with a quilted cosy.

"I see your point" Charles sighed and shook his head. "I hope Hank finds something that will help you, because we all deserve a bit of normalcy, even if we _do_ work in the weirdest school in the country."

"I'd rather say we deserve it _because_ we work in the weirdest school in the country" Erik corrected him.

Charles hesitantly patted Alex's shoulder, but the younger man only grinned sadly.

"I can always try hoping for the fate to bring some incredibly attractive and also attracted to _me_ girl to school sometime soon" he quipped. "Actually, whoever it is, I don't care that much. As long as they can stand spending time indoors until winter comes."

Charles' hand stilled mid-pat.

"Really, guys" Alex smirked. "What I _mind_ is having the reality remind me that I'm so much not getting any. I don't mind who is doing the reminding, seriously. Just not before my first coffee, or I will break down in tears over my lack of human contact, and that would be awkward, despite all the nice stuff my therapist says about not denying myself the chance to express my emotions."

 

***

 

"It was slightly embarrassing" Charles said finally as they climbed the stairs, Erik carrying the tray for him. "I... I thought he meant _us_. Specifically."

Erik grimaced.

"Actually, so did I" he admitted softly. "I am still kind of jumpy about the whole _us_ thing. But he was so normal about it, so... matter-of-fact."

"Apparently he got used to us already. It may also be the, well, whatever it is that Jean, Scott and Peter are having. He probably sees them much more often than us, anyway."

Erik frowned.

"Wait a moment. _What_ is it that they are having?"

Charles rolled his eyes and climbed the last steps, leaning on the banister.

"Ask your son" he suggested finally. "Because I, frankly, have no idea" he opened the door to their bedroom. "Moira? Love? We've brought your tea. Are you up?"

" _What_ are they having...?" Erik hissed as they carried the tray in.

Moira looked up from her book, all flushed cheeks, unruly hair and shining eyes and smiled as they set up the small bedside table with her tea and medicines.

"Who?" she asked, putting away the book and marking the place with a ribbon.

"Peter, Jean and Scott" Charles sat next to her and carefully cleaned a spot on her arm with a cotton ball and some spirits. As Erik slipped into bed on Moira's other side, Charles filled in the syringe with a practised move, tapped it a few times and pressed the plunger to get rid of any air bubbles. "Erik doesn't know what they are doing, and neither do I. Any ideas?"

Moira leaned on Erik's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"I think they are being responsible" she inhaled sharply as the needle entered the flesh of her arm and then tightened her hold on Erik's forearm as Charles pressed the plunger slowly and steadily down. "They don't seem to be actually _doing_ anything I'd have to discuss with Jean separately. Scott is being rather... sweet" she paused to gasp as the needle was removed and a tiny band-aid affixed. "And Peter is being protective" she looked up at Erik, who was now caressing her tense shoulders slowly. "Now, I need my two minutes" she breathed deeply to manage the pain slowly spreading from the arm through her whole body "and then you two can go and do something for yourselves, you know. I will sleep for an hour more maybe, so, you know. Go for a run - well, a walk - or drive, or whatever, and come back once you are all done and worn out" she smiled wickedly at her husband. "Make sure to give Erik a good workout, love."

Charles looked up at him from over the tea tray and smiled widely, then went to the wardrobe to fetch their light jackets.

Erik held her for a minute or two more until he felt her relax and turn into his chest, breathing deeply. He kissed her hair and tucked her in, making sure to keep the injection site over any blankets.

"Drink your tea and take the other meds when you wake up" he reminded her sternly. "We don't want any more asthma attacks, now, do we?"

She smiled sleepily and curled up around her husband's pillow.

Charles picked up the book and put it next to the teapot. Hopefully, she would still have enough time to read at least a bit before reality intervened.

 

***

 

" _This_ is your definition of a 'good workout'?" Erik gasped as Charles' hand pumped him slightly harder.

"Well, it will get you all nicely tired, won't it?" Charles leaned over him and kissed his sculpted cheek. "And that is what our lady demands."

Erik frowned, as much as he could with all the disarming sensations flowing through him.

"Are you... ah, are you doing this just because, ah, Moira told us to?"

"Everyone listens to Moira" Charles quipped, moving to straddle his thighs.

Erik stalled his movements with a strong grip on his wrist.

"Charles. I hope..." he gasped.

His friend looked at him with a small grin.

"I'm doing this because I want it and because you want it. And Moira _knows_ we both want it, so her ladyship's order is perfectly in line with our own desires. Will you be able to relax now?"

Erik squeezed his eyes shut and breathed deeply. "I think so."

He felt Charles leaning over him and their breaths mingled as they kissed, both trying for a better angle, teeth clashing and Charles' touch making it harder for Erik to focus properly.

_There may be half of the school in that part of the park!_

_'Shut up and listen'_ Charles splayed his hand against Erik's chest _. 'Nobody here for at least two miles around. So, relax and let me do it for you.'_

_'Only if... ah... I..."_

_'Don't worry. We have enough time for everything.'_

 


	3. Moira & Charles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles is worried about his wife's missing memories and Erik is worried about them both.

Despite all that Hank could do, the damage to Moira's body was still affecting her significantly. There were bigger and smaller things - she stopped to catch her breath more often, she slept longer, her diet changed, she needed more proteins and had to avoid spinach. And then there were the challenges, like climbing the stairs. Very soon, should the situation not change, they'd have to give up their grand set of rooms on the second floor and move permanently to one of the unused parts of ground floor.

Charles didn't really know how to feel about it - on one hand, it meant admitting they gave up, both on him gaining full mobility and on Moira's improvement. On the other, it would be much more comfortable. Still, moving all their things - and the library, and the furniture - would mean absolute disaster, organisation-wise.

Also, these were  _ their _ rooms. Their bedroom, their library, their study - now slightly crowded with three working desks - their own tiny apartment in the huge house full of children.

When he finally pushed the door open, Moira was still asleep, so they made their way quietly to the bathroom, taking turns under the shower and at the sink, removing the last remnants of their Moira-ordered workout.

Erik pulled him in for another kiss, this time much less demanding or passionate. At the same time his mind was much more open now, letting Charles slip a small  _ appreciation/adoration _ with the touch. They both shivered slightly, as if the whole exertion of the previous hour was something they could disregard immediately, but finally they parted slowly.

"Now, I will go downstairs" Erik straightened his shirt and tucked it into his jeans a bit tighter. "And fix whatever it is that kids did to the workshop yesterday, before Logan damages one of them with a hammer. You two have whole day off, so, make use of it. You need to work on her memories anyway, so why not start right away? If you unearth something troubling, you will have Jean available to help you, at least until the afternoon combat training."

Charles straightened the taller man's collar and smiled sadly.

"I hope we can get something done, finally. Hank says the mix he prepared for today contains some parts of  _ my _ treatment - which should make the nerve damage reduction possible. We'll be downstairs for dinner anyway."

 

***

 

She felt a bit too warm and everything hurt, just a tiny little bit. But the comforter was soft, the pillow was to die for and the man behind her was doing wonderful things to her shoulder muscles.

"You are learning, love" she murmured, stretching her spine slowly.

"Most certainly" he kissed her uncovered shoulder. "Erik is a great teacher, you know."

Her body was vibrating slightly, everything still so lovely warm and heavy, so she couldn't really focus on what he did next. His whole body pressed into her back, his hands slowly making their way up, to her temples.

_ 'I know we can make proper connection without this, but it's easier this way.' _

She sighed.

_ 'Do we have to do this today? I had such a nice morning, and this... this seems like a waste of time. We've tried so many times...' _

_ 'Just a few more' _ he kissed her shoulder again.  _ 'I don't want you to live with a three month hole in your memory... also, wouldn't you rather know what our wedding looked like?' _

Her hand met his and she eased back, deeper into his embrace.

_ 'Very well. But we stop before we produce a new headache. Hank was ever so angry the last time. The way he was cursing about potential brain damage made me a little scared.' _

_ 'This time the serum contained some small additions he thought may help with this. They enhance the rebuilding of the nerve tissue and so...' _

She frowned.

_ 'Is this something from  **that** treatment?' _

_ 'Partially. And we already know it also reduces the x-gene factor in the body, so it may help in two ways.' _

She mumbled something obscene, but physically relaxed even further.

_ 'We just have to make sure we don't slip into the mind-mansion for too long' he reminded.  'Erik would go mad if we did this again.' _

_ 'I don't ever want to see him like this again' she shuddered, burrowing into him for warmth and security.  'I was actually afraid we might have broken him.' _

He pressed a kiss to her neck and held her closer as he focused.

_ 'I will be trying to rebuild the parts of your memory that I already know, because you had shared them with me after Apocalypse' he moved something inside her head slightly, as if bringing some objects into correct alignment. 'There is scar tissue, physical scar tissue, that is blocking certain areas. That's probably also why you're feeling off sometimes - your own book knowledge and skills may be partially obscured. Now. Tell me what you feel when I do this.' _

_ A tickle, as if someone was touching the back of her brain with a metaphorical feather. _

_ 'Good. So, no pain.' _

_ 'No pain.' _

_ 'Now, what about this?' _

_ Another weird, no-body sensation she had a problem to identify. Started like a touch of a soft brush and evolved into a strong, smoothing pressure of fingers, alike to what clay would feel when pressed into a shape of a pot. _

_ 'Interesting. Still no pain?' _

_ 'No. But at the end, it wasn't pleasant, mostly annoying.' _

_ 'Duly noted, my dear. Now, the last one for today.' _

_ It was more intrusive that the first two, but at the same time, very different. Felt more like popping of bubble wrap, or making holes in a piece of paper with a pin, or what a cake felt when probed with a wooden skewer to check for the readiness. _

_ 'And what do you see?' _

_ Stones. Rubble and stones, all around them, in all directions. Some object flying, some just fallen to the ground. Single buildings still upright. And they were so completely alone there, only them and the others, and there was Kurt, lying motionlessly on the floor, and Charles, unconscious, on a heap of pillows, and Jean, beautiful, fiery Jean, an angel of fire and dark strength. _

_ 'Miss Moira?' _

She felt Charles tense behind her.

_ 'Jean?' _

_'What was that?'_ the teen sounded slightly surprised.

_ 'I think...' _

_ 'We've managed to unlock something'  _ Charles sunk into the mattress.

_ 'Wow. Do I really look like this?' _

_'Yes, dear. Apparently you do. Now, go back to...'_ Moira paused. _'Sweetie, what were you doing right now?'_

_ 'Um.' _

_ 'You know you can't lie to me mind to mind' _ Moira sent a bit of  reprimand with it.

_'We were just sitting in Scott's room, not doing anything much._ '

_ 'Uhm. I will let this one go, only for today. But on Thursday I expect proper explanation.' _

Jean groaned wordlessly.

_ 'Now, put up your blocks, this may get messy, if I get another cascade.' _

Charles' hands anchored her and pulled her back to their bed.

_ 'Can I get a bit of your attention, too?' _ he actually pouted.

She turned slowly, finally facing him.

"Kiss me" she demanded simply. "Because if I remember correctly from my last cascade, I will not be a very sociable person immediately af..."

She went rigid in his arms and all he could sense from her was a general mix of  _ pain/white/loss/disconnection _ .

_ 'Erik!' _

He could only hold onto her, as she started shaking from strain.

In minutes there was another presence in their bed and in his mind, slipping around him and Moira, hands holding them both together, stilling Moira's movements, pulling another blanket over their suddenly chilled bodies.

_ 'She's having a memory cascade.' _

_ 'What can we do?'  _ Erik's worried gaze met his over Moira's shuddering form.

_ 'Be here to catch her when she falls' _ Charles shrugged and hugged the auburn-haired head to his chest, feeling Erik next to him, supporting Moira between them.

"What if..."

"Shut up" Charles squeezed his eyes closed. "She won't. She will be fine. She will wake up and scold us for being stupid."

"I'm ready to scold you already, you know" Erik leaned closer and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "If you weren't so terrified for her, I'd be the first to tell you it might have not been the best idea to meddle with her brain, you know."

"Thank you for not saying it, then."

"Anytime."

 

***

 

There were things in the mist. She knew the place rather well - she remembered it from the long time when she  _ didn't _ remember - the first time round, when she collected her memories in pictures, piece by piece rebuilding the whole landscape of her memories. Now, it seemed, it went much smoother, and definitely with more aim. Apparently a company of a telepath who knows your brain inside out and left to right helps when it comes to memory retrieval. Whatever it was that Charles had done, it looked like it had worked.

Things in the mist solidified and she saw herself, on a mound of pillows, holding Charles' hand as he tried to tell her what was wrong - and found out about the baby in the process. Jean was behind them - Jean who had been a fiery angel just a second before.

Her surroundings wobbled.

She was standing in the main hall of the school, watching the children run to their rooms for afternoon, and then there was Erik, trying to sneak out. Before he knew it, he was faced with very annoyed, very determined Moira, who had things to say about him not knowing a good thing and trying to run away from commitment. She could  _ feel _ the words she had said - and Erik's surprise and annoyance at her tenacity. And she saw him make some joke about - that one she couldn't remember, and her answering angrily and him stepping back with widened eyes.

Several more scenes flew in front of her - talks with Ororo, with Peter, with new children - she hoped she would be able to remember them! before she came up, gasping for air, all surrounded by Very Worried men. The fact that there were only two of them to surround her didn't mean a thing - they surrounded her easily, holding onto her, and each other.

"How are you, love?" her husband's hand hovered fractions of an inch away from her temple. She felt his presence in the back of her mind, spread like a huge, soft pillow, supporting all the parts that seemed  _ off _ \- probably where the newly recovered memories were sitting now. There was another presence there, much darker and harder to  _ touch _ than Charles, but at the same time holding her stable and, in some weird way, interwoven with the  _ pillow _ .

"Erik?" she croaked quietly, her throat paper-dry from the effects of the cascade.

"I'm here, love" she felt him behind her, easing her up from Charles' body and pulling her in. "Let your husband go for a moment, he's stiff and probably a bit uncomfortable from holding you for the last five hours. He didn't want to move because he didn't want to jostle you. Now, that you're back with us" he draped her nearly boneless body over his, and a comforter over both of them "he can finally move and maybe go to..."

"Erik" Charles' sounded both annoyed and somewhat happy. "You don't have to...!"

"Yes I do. If nobody scolded you into taking care of yourself, you'd forget to behave like a civilised being and where would we be then?"

The younger man grumbled, but pushed himself off the bed, hissing in pain as the pins and needles feeling run over his whole body.

"Fucking hell" he mumbled. "I'll need a few minutes."

"Go take a shower!" Erik threw. "We'll manage for a few minutes, right, love?"

She nodded, absolutely exhausted, and lay her head on his muscled shoulder.

"'m glad I did it, you know" she whispered finally, once Charles was in the bathroom.

"Did what?" he traced a line up her arm, across the shoulders and back, down her spine and up her sides.

"Stopped you from leaving. I don't remember what I said, but it must have been epic."

"Oh, yes. You threatened me with a vision of mourning, unstable Charles, of children not trained properly once Raven is not enough for their lessons, of youngsters trying to follow my example and leaving school before they are ready. I'm not sure which part worked the best, but the last one was pretty damn convincing, I have to say."

"Oh, that's right. They adore you now, but back then they were already fascinated. And we would have probably lost Peter, too, considering he was trying to get close to you at the time, and he's the best TA-in-training I could have imagined. By the way, did he actually start that teaching degree at some point, or did it just get ignored due to reality happening all around us?"

He frowned.

"I think... Eh, poor Peter. Reality won this time. I'll see if we can get him in a college from this term. He's smart, he will catch up."

She smiled and lay her cheek back on his shoulder.

"That he is. Just like his father" she whispered. "So, you see" she continued, facing away from him, fingers trailing a line on his arm. "Had you left, school would have been so much poorer for your absence."

"And, I suppose, I would have been a mess" he admitted. "And Charles would have been a mess, despite his tough-as-nails exterior and that speech about pitying anyone who tries to bother the children."

"Oh, that's for sure" she nodded slightly. "In a week or two we'd have had him moping around the house and trying to use Cerebro to search for you and then despairing when you disappeared temporarily. I'd have to drag him bodily out of there to make sure he ate and slept."

His hands on her back stilled.

"What?"

"But... he wouldn't have focused more, well, on you?"

She snorted.

"Oh, he would. He would have wrapped me in cotton wool and kept in the house so that nothing could happen to me. And  _ then _ he would stay all day in Cerebro."

They lay silently for a moment.

"And what about you?" he asked finally, combing her hair away from her face, dragging his fingers through the auburn strands.

"I would have died, you know" she said simply. "There would have been nobody to take me to the hospital, so I would have bled out. You saved my life, Erik" she rose on her hands, looking down at him. "Like I said, you are my knight in shining armour. And I'm glad I stopped you from leaving, for all our sakes" she kissed him, drowning in the sensation of that powerful man under her and his hands holding her tightly.

He caressed her face with his fingertips when they parted.

"I'm glad you did, too" he said finally. "It might have taken me much longer to understand that I need you two so much. I'd probably have done something stupid by then and..."

"It would have became much more complicated" she finished.

"You two all right?" Charles entered the room, still toweling his face dry. "Something wrong?"

"Nah" Moira turned to look at him and slowly slid off Erik's body. "I think it's time I finally showed my face in the school, so kids don't think I disappeared again."

"Go on" Erik said, patting her hand. "I need to... Well, I need to write a few thoughts down anyway. And Peter is expecting me in an hour or so. And Jean is probably waiting for the two of you, judging from the looks she was giving me when you were working in the morning."

 

***

 

They descended the steps slowly, each of them looking at the other cautiously.

_ He seems so much better now. The difference is... _

She shook her head when he stopped to look at her. Of course he had heard her.

"I  _ am _ better, you know" he moved to stand in front of her and held her hips with both hands. "I won't say I'd ever be able to do all the things I wanted - carry you down the stairs and dump you in the pond, for example - but the improvement is there. There isn't much progress lately, but the day I managed to just put on my shoes without looking at them and correcting five times for each foot, I almost cried" he sighed. "But, as we are on the topic... I had considered moving us all to the ground floor."

She leaned over him and pulled him up for a kiss.

"Why?"

"Because, basically, Erik is the only fully mobile of us three. And I see how much it takes for you to climb these stairs every day. We can't be sure you will get much better - or that I will get much better."

She pressed another kiss to his lips.

"No way. We keep the rooms we have. If nothing else, it will keep us in shape and it will be a measure of our progress. The day we can  _ run _ up these, we will know we're better than fine."

"Mrs Xavier, you are a cruel taskmaster" he whispered. "But I can't say I don't see the logic. It makes sense."

"You, Mr Xavier, tend to go too lightly on me" she tapped his nose with a finger. "I'm not made of glass. Or sugar."

"No, my dear" he lifted her slightly and put down on the same step as he. "You are made of steel, razor wire and just enough compassion to balance these. Now, let's go check on Jean. She may have some ideas as to what we should do next."

"I think we can safely say Jean was  _ not _ worried for us" she whispered against his lips. "She was much more concerned about whether I saw what  _ she _ was doing."

"Do I even want to know what my star pupil was doing with the brother of my - what did you call him? - faithful lieutenant?"

"I think you don't want to, but I, as the vice principal, probably  _ should _ ."

"Ah, so  _ that's _ why I hired you!"

"Didn't you hire me to keep me close to you then?" she pouted.

"That might be the other reason, yes."

"And the need to get your butt kicked sometimes, what about it?"

"I actually thought we put it in your contract, didn't we?"

"But mostly..."

"Mostly it's about keeping the students sane without me having to dig in their brains, yes, dear" he brushed her hair off her face. "Because too many of these and I would go crazy, too."

"Fate we would prefer to avoid."

"Oh, definitely" he grinned. "At least unless it is being crazy about you" he pulled her in for a longer kiss and they might have - just might have - forgotten they were standing on the main staircase, in plain view of everyone coming up the hall.


	4. Jean & Scott & Peter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott doesn't want to be a bother, Jean doesn't want Scott to hurt and Peter doesn't want to talk to have to explain himself.

Her fingers always felt nice against his overheated skin.

He knew perfectly well she was benefiting from their connection, too. In fact, ever since the Apocalypse, he knew even better  _ what _ it was exactly that his energy was feeding. The Phoenix that lived inside Jean was a dreadful, terrifying being that could easily threaten his own life.

In her hands he felt safe.

They sat, cross-legged, on his bed, Jean behind his back, her right palm cool against the side of his neck, her fingers loosely touching his throat, conducting the energy from the point of collection to her brain, where she re-organised it so that it couldn't hurt him anymore. It felt like a trickle of cool water in a very warm bath - except it was more than welcome, after a whole morning of walking around all hot due to accidental exposure to early sun which caught him despite the day being rather rainy.

"Now" she whispered and he felt her focus on actual active  _ draining _ . His muscles unlocked finally, his face relaxed and his breathing became easier. Jean's left hand was now holding up his head from behind, fingers wide and threaded in his hair. They both shuddered at the flow of his collected energy and he gladly welcomed the feeling of emptiness in that part of his brain.

The threat of migraine gone, the overcollected energy given to Jean, he could finally smile for the first time that day.

"Thank you" he tried to imbue that simple phrase with all the feelings he had for his angel girl.

She pulled him back, to collapse against her, and took off his glasses.

He blinked, as always when she did it.

The colours changed so much. There was brown and green and blue, and of course there was the russet-red of Jean's hair, so he reached out to wind a few strands on his fingers.

"You should have told me earlier" she said in quiet admonishment. "You almost made  me have a headache, Scott."

He grimaced.

"I don't like running to you every time I catch too much" he turned his face away. "I don't want to bother you without reason."

She pulled him up roughly - always a bit strong for a standard girl, he felt, especially considering his heavily muscled shoulders and arms - and sat him up to face her.

"You are  never a bother" she punctuated it with a well-aimed finger poke to his sternum. "You are  _ supposed _ to tell me stuff like this. I have to know, if I'm supposed to help you."

"But I don't..." he sighed. "I should be able to take care of it myself. Most mutants don't need someone to hold their hand in everyday life."

She rubbed her nose and shook her head.

"Maybe. But not every mutation is helpful or manageable in daily life. So what you should do the next time you collect too much and start hurting is to come to me, immediately. Or else I will tell the teachers that you are hurting yourself."

He frowned.

"You wouldn't."

"I so totally would."

"But  _ why _ ?"

"Because I don't want you to be hurt" she leaned closer to him and pressed a lingering kiss to his half-open mouth. "So stop being stupid and stubborn and tell me stuff, OK?"

"But..."

"Stop" she kissed him again. "Being stupid" kiss "and stubborn" the next kiss went on a bit longer - and was much more open than he had ever expected.

* * *

Jean knew perfectly well that opening the connection when they were in direct physical contact was never the best choice, but she needed to make Scott understand. Unfortunately, that also meant that she caught all the stray thoughts he normally managed to keep to himself.

And, also, that they were not paying attention to what happened just outside of his door, so Alex's "bloody hell,  _ kids _ !" surprised them a bit.

"Sorry, Alex" Scott tried to remove his arm from where it was holding her waist, but she stopped him with a firm press of her hands.

"We'll keep the door closed next time" she smiled sweetly and quickly moved the heavy wood with a small gesture.

"Just keep it on the safe side" they heard Alex grumble as he plodded towards the kitchen.

She pulled Scott back closer to her, taking hold of his face again.

"Now, will you be good and  _ tell me _ when you have problems?"

He looked up at her, blue eyes slightly dazed, and nodded cautiously.

"Perfect" she fluidly sat astride his lap and pulled him for another kiss. "Just remember, if you don't, I will go and tell on you and will not even have the slightest twin..."

He finally found his courage and his hand found its way to the nape of her neck, so her next words were lost in a rather delightful way as she discovered that Scott could, apparently, be rather assertive and self-assured, if he wished.

* * *

They sat on a blanket, by the lake, keeping a reasonable but not too big distance between themselves. It was late enough not to pose a problem for Scott, but as the grounds were very well-lit, there was still a group playing basketball on the court and some students on the outdoor gym. Jean kept her hand on his shoulder, making sure he wasn't tempted to put on his glasses. He still carried them, of course, should something trigger his eyes despite the complete energy drain, but having her control his levels made him less jumpy.

"Wanna ice cream?"

"Where did you get these?" Jean picked one from the handful Peter was offering.

"Just a few towns over. The last shop open at this hour."

"Thanks, man" Scott took another. "This isn't October weather, at all. This will be a perfect supper. After that rainy morning, now it's almost too hot to breathe."

"And did you leave some money?" Jean asked, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Peter pushed up his goggles.

"Jean, really..."

"Peter, really."

"I mean... oh, fine, fine. Hold these, I'll be right back."

He was, indeed, frowning and a bit exasperated.

Flopping to the ground next to Jean, he picked one of the ice cream and unraveled the packaging into a neat spiral.

"I actually picked them because I've just had a  _ talk _ with Charles" he said, rolling a bit and ending up with his head on Jean's thigh. "He wanted to, you know,  _ talk _ to me. About  _ us _ ."

"I know" Jean took a bite of her icecream. "Miss Moira wants to talk to me, too."

"What did he want to tell you?" Scott leaned on Jean's shoulder a bit, sneaking his arm around her.

"Argh" Peter groaned. "He wanted to talk about... you know.  _ Us _ ."

"What, like, us three?"

"No. He meant, me, and Jean. He apparently thinks we might be, you know.  _ Fooling around _ ."

All three giggled at the thought.

"What did you tell him?" Jean threaded fingers of her free hand through Peter's silvery hair.

"That there is no way I'm doing  _ that _ with any of you."

"Hey" Scott's soft, slightly affronted mumble made Jean roll her eyes.

"Scott, he  _ is _ ten years older than us" she reminded him. "And, formally, our teacher."

"Well, he is teaching us a lot of stuff that aren't in the curriculum" Scott snorted. "Also, in the training, he is getting his ass kicked by Raven just like the both of us."

"So, what did Charles say?"

"He asked what are we doing in the garden in the evenings then, for so long."

Jean licked the stick clean of all chocolate.

"And?"

"Told him the truth. He looked at me weirdly and said 'I just hope it's not a metaphor for something illegal' and went back upstairs. He was a bit red, too."

"I'll talk to Moira" Jean sighed. "They really are a bit paranoid about us."

"Good girl" Peter patted her hand. "Now, tell me what you two did after the training today. Dad mentioned some new project you've been working on...?"


	5. Moira & Erik

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik is thinking so hard he gives Charles a headache.

The room was quiet - very quiet, if you accounted for the fact that it was a room in a huge house full of children. The rain outside added to the general muffled quality of all sounds.  
He lay in bed, stretching slowly, one limb at a time, unwilling to let go of that warmth and lassitude that came with staying in bed longer than normally. And the small ember of additional internal warmth which was a result of his - what, partners? - kissing him "good morning" as they got up to start their working day. And of Moira coming back once she was already dressed, setting an alarm clock for him and pulling the additional comforter over this long frame - this one still warm from her own body.  
He knew the alarm would go off any minute, but decided not to wait for it and slowly - trying to keep as calm and as loose-limbed as when he woke up - stepped into the shower. The mansion's central heating ensured nearly unlimited supply of hot water for showering, so he took his time, washing and scrubbing and washing his hair. He made a mental note to buy some less flower-scented shampoo, as Moira tended to buy rather sweet combinations and he would have preferred something less - well - girly.  
Standing under the hot stream, breathing in the sweet, jasmine-tinted vapour, he relaxed his muscles, section by section.  
His thoughts, invariably, turned towards his, well, partners. He still had some problems actually voicing what he felt towards them. He wasn't even sure what it was exactly. What - and how, and why and when - did they become to him, so suddenly, without him noticing until they were all halfway in?  
He knew very well what Charles used to be - a friend, a chess partner, an opponent, a coworker, support and the one to be saved by all means for their common good. Quietly he had always known there was a strong sense of compatibility, of mutual need and potential suitability of minds. He never went as far as considering Charles as a life partner. Maybe he could have envisioned the two of them one day, retired in a quiet, calm place, playing match after match of chess, Charles scolding him for smoking too much and him worrying about Charles' legs. He had never allowed himself to look any closer at that quaint fantasy, because of its obvious absurdity - none of them could expect to survive that long into their old age to begin with.  
Still, Charles moving in his private order from "friend" to "life partner" was not that much of a stretch.  
Moira suddenly going from "Charles' annoying/suspect girlfriend/CIA squeeze" to "woman whose death would destroy him" was much more puzzling. He had to admit he might have been a bit dramatic about it when he had defined her so. He would probably survive - he was good at surviving. Unless, of course, Charles dragged him down with himself once Moira was gone.  
What had happened with Moira was that she had become... indispensable. A part of his everyday, his everynight. She was there always - sometimes curled up between him and Charles, half asleep, as they both caressed her slowly, his fingers exploring her softness and curves cautiously, Charles more bold and knowledgeable; sometimes guiding his shaking hand down her husband's form; sometimes daringly pressing herself up to him as his best friend claimed his lips. She was there to save and be saved, to follow and to lead, in all manners equal to the two men.  
He lathered his hair once again, just for the sole luxury of it, and to give himself a justification for more time in the heated room.  
When did she worm her way into his broken, barely functioning heart? When she stood in front of him, barring his exit from the mansion, reminding him of what he owed Charles? When she walked to the tiny, symbolical altar - with Hank as a freshly appointed officiant - and promised her forever to Charles, and, by extension, the mutant cause? Or maybe when she grabbed his hand in the ambulance, as if he was her lifeline, so utterly trusting in his ability to be there for her?  
As he analysed it, he saw all these moments as milestones, but the true pivotal point was that once she had actually forgotten these three months of shared life, she trusted him yet again, afresh - with her life, her health, her weakness and her fears. She asked to be held by him. She gave him even - in a roundabout way - a tacit permission to...  
His thoughts froze as a pair of slender arms encircled his chest from behind.  
"Charles says you are thinking so hard you're giving him a headache. He asked me to check what it was that was bothering you and, if possible, to distract you from whatever it was. So" she slithered around him, her bare skin in constant contact with his "what is it and what can I do to remedy it?"  
His hardness was immediately at full attention, but he held himself back from what would have been the most obvious thing to do when faced with a pretty, naked and most probably willing woman under a shower.  
"Erik" She combed her fingers through his hair and clasped them behind his head "stop overthinking it. It is all very simple. We are all together in this" she rose on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his gasping mouth "Now, either we make use of the twenty or so minutes you have until your class, or you should turn this shower to cold. This is not the state in which you should be appearing in front of your students."  
She dragged her fingers along his whole throbbing thickness and made him buck his hips.  
"But Charles..." he moaned, leaning towards her.  
"Charles is here, anyway" she tapped her own temple. "We can barely disconnect most of the time, and unless we both pay attention, we tend to overlap parts of our consciousness. We're disturbing him terribly right now, actually. He's trying to negotiate something over the phone and... Ah."  
He pulled her closer and nuzzled her cheek with his lips.  
"I think I will take the cold water option" he mumbled into the thin skin of her neck. "In five minutes."


	6. Moira & Raven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moira and Raven and sauna.
> 
> Extreme temperatures help them to bond.

"I think I will actually go easy on Jean during next session" Raven said, stretching her long legs on the wooden bench. "This is just perfect after the training. I can only imagine what luxury it will be during winter."  
Moira pulled on her towel to straighten it a bit.  
"It will be nice to be finally properly warm" she said, inhaling the pine fragrance deeply. "My temperature regulation is shot to hell and I keep feeling that I'm not getting much better, despite all that Hank can do..." she trailed off, blushing and looking up at Raven.  
"Yeah" the blue woman shrugged. "Sorry for today. We kind of got carried away."  
"I noticed..." Moira snorted. "I just hope we didn't cause any damage..."  
"No, I think he'll be OK. Apparently he can’t stop himself - and neither can I. I'm still kind of surprised he's even talking to me, you know. After all this time, and they way I behaved… I’m not sure why he keeps letting me in."  
Moira shrugged.  
"If you're asking for a relationship advice, wrong address, dear."  
Raven rose on her elbow to look down at Moira.  
"Why? You seem to be doing fine."  
Moira pushed herself up a bit.  
"I'm in a relationship with - and sleeping with - two men, one of which had deleted large chunks of my memory" she patted her temple "and the other had tried to strangle me with my own dog tags" she pointed to the fine line that encircled her throat. "Yes, they try to repay me for that daily, which is very sweet and sometimes quite pleasurable, but that doesn't mean that what we're doing is healthy in any way."  
"If you put it like this, there is no normal relationship to be seen in this house. Maybe Kurt and Marcia..." Raven trailed off. "Because Scott and Jean fall definitely under 'hell knows what', with him being dependent on her for daily functioning, and her feeding on his energy. Plus Peter, who is-but-isn't in that with them. Sometimes my brain hurts when I try to work it out."  
"I gave up, a few weeks ago. I asked her and Jean looked at me with her huge, innocent eyes and explained in her own words how that relationship works. I'm still not sure they are completely clear on the topic, but at least I can say that they are most definitely not making the new generation of mutants."  
"That's a relief. This generation right after us is already enough of a bother."  
Moira slowly sunk back to her bench, her hand unconsciously covering the long, horizontal scar on her abdomen and Raven's eyes widened.  
"Fuck, Moira, I'm sorry" she hissed. "I didn't mean..."  
"I know, I know" Moira closed her eyes and sighed. "I... I forget sometimes, too, you know? I still don't remember some parts - as in, my own wedding - and I even occasionally forget parts of what I actually normally remember. Sometimes I suddenly see my body and I'm panicking because it doesn't look like it's supposed to."  
Raven sniffed.  
"And it's like... like there is something ending, you know?" Moira said softly. "I'm forty-five. That was the last chance. Even if I could get pregnant - if we found a way to have a child - I would be sixty by the time they were fifteen. More grandma age than mother age.”  
“You would be one kickass grandma, mind you” Raven poked her arm, pointing to the well defined muscle there. “I’d bet on you taking down any playground bullies without breaking a sweat or mussing up your ponytail.”  
Moira sighed.  
“Well, I can only imagine. At least I can use my skills for the students’ sake. Some parents are atrocious.”  
Raven looked down at her.  
“Did you have to beat up someone I haven’t heard about?”  
“Just some pricks who didn’t appreciate the fact that we want to teach kids to use their mutation instead of just ‘fixing them’ and making them ‘normal’” she snorted. “Had to twist some dad’s arm, literally, to get him to let his daughter stay.”  
“People are stupid sometimes.”  
“But they scare easily, which is nice.”  
Raven knew perfectly well that her feelings towards her sister in law were undergoing a vast change ever since Hank explained Charles’ “dark days”, and she felt that finally, this little sisterhood might have a chance. She was going to thank Jean for this next time she saw her. Apparently getting hot and sweaty together allowed them to communicate, at last. However crazy that would sound to others.  
“Well, can’t help it, girl. You look so sweet and innocent and suddenly you drop a guy twice your size and make him beg you not to break his wrist. It’s one of your superpowers.”

#

“I officially love Jean with undying affection. How did that girl come up with this idea?”  
“Erik had visited Finland at some point during his travels and brought fond memories of sauna from that stay. He described the details to the kids and Jean decided to build one for the house. Erik helped with some construction details, including strengthening of the walls and installation of the heater unit. Jean did the rest, from cutting the wood to sanding the benches. She said it was a perfect way to offload some of the excess energy she siphons off Scott and Alex.”  
“Perfect, indeed” Raven stretched and groaned. “We probably have no more than ten minutes before the kids arrive, so unless you wish to show them your battlescars…”  
Moira waved it away dismissively.  
“It's only girls now. They get their turn first, because it was Jean's idea. Nothing they hadn't seen before. And I really need some more time to relax, and to let my boys have some time to themselves. If I'm around, they focus on me too much and barely communicate, unless I expressly tell them to.”  
“And you're unhappy about that?” Raven looked at her incredulously. “Are you quite sane? You want them to spend more time with each other than with you? I know one of them is my brother, and it may sound weird, but come on, you have two probably most powerful mutants in the world catering to your every whim, in bed and out of it, why would you want to avoid it…?”  
Moira shrugged, sighing and rubbed her face with a the corner of her towel.  
“You know how you, and Logan and several others, have enhanced healing factors?”  
“Obviously, but what…?”  
“Other mutants don't have the same type of obvious enhancement, but most have it in similar enough form to prolong cell life and reduce DNA deterioration. And that means that barring injuries, even a mutant with no speed-healing factor will get to live at least twice human lifespan.”  
Raven blinked.  
“I didn't know. How…?”  
“I worked on this with Hank before everyone started coming back” Moira sighed. “And that's why Erik and Charles must get used to the idea that I won't be around forever, and they must start depending on each other more, not only when I intervene or when I'm in a need of rescuing.”  
Raven climbed the higher bench and stretched on it in silence.  
“You're trying to prepare them for your…”  
“Death.”  
“Fuck.”  
“If I don't, what do you think will happen once I die? Considering how self-destructive Charles becomes after crisis and how aggressively Erik reacts to stress, I'm not sure they will deal with it very well, if I don't prepare them to depend on each other. I hope I can make them see each other as full proper partners soon. Or at least guilt them into supporting each other long enough to get through the worst time. In order for Charles not to slide into another phase of drugs, alcohol and questionable therapy, Erik will need to be there for him, day and night. And for Erik not to go on a rampage, Charles will have to stabilise him and anchor him. Remind him about Peter and Wanda needing him alive, and whatever else we can find to weight him down.”  
“You've given it a lot of thought.”  
Moira snorted and threw some more water on the coals.  
“Of course. I’ve been thinking of it ever since Hank told me what happened to Charles after everyone left him. And since I accidentally saw into Erik’s memories of what he did when his wife was killed I know perfectly well how things may go kaboom if he suddenly loses his focus. I'm not claiming I'm as important to him as his wife, but I'm pretty sure I know what is keeping him grounded these days.”  
“You and Charles” Raven whispered. “Erik needs to take care of people - his family, however he defines it. Give him a grounding, stable relationship and it keeps him on the side of angels, so to say. If this unravels…”  
“Yep. One of the reasons I've made him move all his stuff to our room, after that day by the pond. It gives him everyday proof that we're actually properly in on this triad thing. He was still reluctant, even after Charles showed him what we want ed.”  
“He is a bit stupid like this. Doesn't know a good thing even when he has it plain in front of his face.”  
“Charles too” Moira snorted. “I’m quite sure that until I tricked them with that ‘message’ each of them was pining quietly for the other and tried very hard not to let me - or the other one - know. I have to admit, they didn't have it easy when it comes to chances to resolve this.”  
“Hard, yes” Raven muffled a giggle. “I wish I had a camera that evening when Erik was, khm, delivering your message. I mean, it is my brother we are talking about, but that was hot.”  
Moira sat up, looking at her.  
“Did he actually kiss Charles in front of others?” she asked softly.  
“Sure. Whole school was there. For all of it, including the cute little whimper that Charles emitted at some point. When Erik let him go, he looked rather sweetly embarrassed. You know, for a forty-something with extensive experience. Apparently kissing a guy - or being kissed by one - had not been part of said experience. And mind you, this is Erik, so he was probably rather thorough.”  
She slowly sank back to her bench.  
“Oh, yes. Erik is nothing if not thorough.”  
“If I’m guessing correctly that kiss had all twenty years of pent-up emotions behind it” Raven laughed softly. “God, it is fun to see him lose control in this way.”  
“I suppose it’s better than destroying cities.”  
“And much more pleasurable to all involved.”  
“Definitely.”

#

“Did the kids manage to damage something today? You look beat.”  
“Just my pride” Raven squirmed uncomfortably. “I hope I can get Hank to give me a massage later, but sauna will be a good start.”  
“You are teaching them well then” Moira suggested weakly. “If they manage to actually kick your butt from time to time.”  
“That's my only hope. Other explanation would be that I'm going soft, and I'd much rather not consider that”  
“Get Erik to run sessions on them for a few weeks. See what he says. He will be brutally objective, you know that. Also, it will be good for the kids to have someone new run the simulations. Erik does have experience that none of us can match, after all.”  
“Not sure I want to expose them to full-sized Magneto training” Raven grumbled quietly. “If they do poorly…”  
“He will make fun of you, or of them. Tough luck, better be ridiculed by Magneto than killed by Stryker. And if he has suggestions for improvement, well, better you hear them now than half a year.”  
“For the higher good” Raven sighed dramatically.  
“For the kids” Moira corrected her. “After all, everything we do is about them. Or most of it, anyway.”  
“I never saw myself as a teacher material, you know?”  
“I never imagined myself as a vice principal, yet here we are.”

#

“Are you OK?”  
Moira was lying on the bench, her face empty, eyes wide open and staring at the sauna ceiling. Raven sat down on the pine floor next to her and tried finding her pulse, just to make sure her sister-in-law was not somehow affected by the heat.  
“I'm fine” Moira said in a small voice.  
“What did Hank tell you? I thought he had some actual results, he seemed rather hopeful.”  
Moira nodded and shrugged minimally.  
“It's just…” Raven saw the other woman move her jaw, trying to relax it. “Yes, he had results. I'm trying to think how to tell Charles.”  
Raven patted her hand awkwardly.  
“Whatever it is, you can work with it, somehow. You can beat it.”  
“Not this” Moira sounded somehow broken. “Hank told me it isn't really the X-gene that is the crucial factor. It seemed so before, but now…”  
Raven frowned, wiping a bit of moisture away from her face. Moira looked more tense than ever before, even more than before a battle. Her hands clenched into fists, her lips drawn into a thin line, her eyes sunken and bloodied from crying.  
“What is it then?”  
“It's Charles.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TADAA.  
> What now?


	7. Moira & Charles & Erik

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our trio finds a measure of happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost a year since I picked Regaining Herself up again and again left it unfinished, just missing the last chapter. As a cleanup before NaNoWriMo I decided to finalise all my open fics (ones that really were just asking for one post).  
> If someone was still waiting - thank you :)

Moira was curled up in the middle of their bed, her hair obscuring her face.

He stood at the foot of the bed, watching her slow breaths and dream-induced movements.

Erik slipped his arm around his waist and hugged him silently.

_'She thinks I don't know what she is doing.'_

_'You promised not to read her mind without her express wish.'_

_'I don't need to'_ he leaned back, his head fitting perfectly into the taller man's neck. _'I know her and I know the way she thinks.'_

_'So, what is it?'_

They stood in silence for a moment.

_'You have enhanced regenerative factor. Me, well, who knows how Apocalypse fucked my body up. I'm still finding out new aspects.'_

_'Ah'_ Erik nodded, bringing his mouth down to Charles' clavicle. _'Moira is preparing us for...'_

 _'She knows she had a shorter lifespan than we do, and with the pregnancy and everything that happened because of it'_ Charles shivered a bit and clung closer to Erik.

_'Pregnancy is always a risk, and at her age...'_

_'It's not like she was planning the baby. We weren't. At all. We have jobs to do, enemies to consider. CIA, whole fucking world. And we know the statistics of x-gene expression. It is a 75% chance if one parent is a powerful mutant, 90% is both are mutants of any level, 99% is both are powerful...'_

_'So, Jeannie was...'_

_'Oh, there's no doubt. I've felt her. I mean, when she was still alive, she communicated with me. That's how I found out.'_

Erik's grip on his middle tightened a bit.

_'Moira wanted to have that baby, you know. Once she knew and I knew, it was... It was like a surprise, but of the best kind. She told me she never considered having children when she was with the agency, but if it happened, it happened and she was happy to plan and prepare...'_

_'I saw her at the hospital'_ Erik pointed out. _'She was devastated. I know how much it meant to her...'_

"Do you two know that you're bloody _leaking_?"

Moira's voice was sluggish and hoarse.

"Ah... No, love. We didn't" Charles tapped Erik's hand and, released, walked around the bed to crouch in front of his wife. "How are you doing now?"

She sniffed.

"Just a bit sleepy. Hank says I will need a lot of rest for the foreseeable future."

Erik slipped off his soft shoes and stretched behind her on the bed.

"That's not what he meant" he pointed out, hiding his face in her storm of loose hair. "Come on, Charles. Stop showing off that you can walk and get in here, you need to cuddle with your wife."

_'And you.'_

_'Well, I bloody well hope so.'_

Soon they were entangled in the middle of the mattress, covered with a huge quilt and breathing each other's scent. Moira stretched a bit, bringing her back against Erik and baring her midriff to Charles' attentions. Her husband was, quite soon, under the covers, caressing the soft skin with his lips.

_'How do you want us, love?'_

_'Any.. Ah, any way will be good. But, ah, Charles..."_

_'Sh. We are here'_ Erik reached out and pulled her shoulder down to the mattress, putting her flat on her back between them. _'Anything you want.'_

Charles was unbuttoning the soft, old shirt she wore in bed, covering each inch of bared flesh with his lips.

_'Our beautiful Moira. Our lovely.'_

_'Charles!'_

_'Tell me the truth'_ he hid his face in her neck and pulled Erik closer, to bracket Moira between their bodies. _'Tell me what you want us to do.'_

_'Just hold me. Just hold me and it will be fine.'_

It was maybe a bit strange - the two of them, and her, or maybe it was the two of them and Erik, or maybe it was the two of them and Charles. Or maybe it was just the three of them, working somehow to balance the unusual combination of three-sided relationship, and it wasn't strange, it was theirs.

And if in a moment Moira was writhing under their hands, as two mouths descended on her skin, suckling slowly in tandem and bringing her nipples to hardness, marring her pale skin with pink marks, and if they met in the middle of her flat stomach and Erik kissed him tenderly, and if it was maybe something that was unique to them - well, there was nobody to deny them the right to do what they needed and wanted.

Moira turned blindly, reaching for them, gathering them closer.

_'Charles...'_

She couldn't even say it in her thoughts.

_'Love, yes. Come here, Erik.'_

And if in some seven years, on her breakthrough, Rika Xavier failed to express as a telepath, like everyone expected, but showed a particular affinity to metal, well, everyone said, that's the Xaviers' business.


End file.
